Season of Lent

 

                                                                    https://hallow.com/lent/

Lenten Season is the season where people commemorate the sufferings and death of Jesus Christ. During Lenten season, people usually do three traditional things: praying, fasting, and alms-giving Also, during this season, two significant virtues are observed. Mercy and compassion can be attained through three simple steps. First, rest with God. During this step, people keep themselves from doing their errands and routines. This step is usually observed during the Lord’s Day because people go to Church and have a time for God. Just like what the word “rest” literally means, we forget all the demands of our work and have much time with our own families and have a peaceful period in ourselves. Second, renew one’s self. Renewing doesn’t mean loving ourselves more.

Most Christians view the season of lent as an opportunity to give up a food that we tend to eat frequently or to fast between meals. But the true and original meaning of lent, is to put us in the place of our savior, Jesus Christ. He spent forty days in the desert without any source of food. He was tempted by the devil on several accounts. He sacrificed his own life on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. The purpose of these forty days leading up to the resurrection of Christ, is to challenge ourselves. To give up or devote yourself to something other than the regular.

Lent is a time where we can all show each other kindness and hospitality. Jesus did not suffer his entire life to have us hate each other. All of us Brother Rice students have the capability to get to know a student that we have never got the chance to come around and talk to. You can all make someone feel welcome into our community. We can and should use the days leading up to Easter to build stronger relationships with our peers and prepare for the celebration of the resurrection of Christ.

 

 references:

https://www.brotherrice.org/daily-prayer/peer-ministry-blog/lenten-student-reflections/ https://www.ipl.org/essay/Importance-Of-Lenten-Season-P3HL7LNPC48R https://www.loyolapress.com/catholic-resources/liturgical-year/lent/perspectives-on-lent/articles/reflecting-on-the-lent-season/

Festival Kannawidan

 

http://www.traveltothephilippines.info/2015/06/04/join-the-celebration-of-kannawidan-festival-in-ilocos-sur/

Kannawidan is a festivity which the City of Vigan celebrates every year. In this festival, the Ilocano people showcase cultural shows, native products and the talents of the Ilocanos. Kannawidan Ylocos Festival became an annual festival that aims to create awareness on the preservation of the province' rich cultural heritage, practices and traditions, and a showcase of the different agriculture and industry products of the province. There is a need to preserve our rich heritage and unique culture. With this in mind, the provincial government of Ilocos Sur has conceived a festival that highlights these culture and traditions and attract local and foreign tourists as well.

It is a tradition that during the opening of the festival, there is usually a mass held at the St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral. It is followed by a procession of the Patron Saints of the 40 parishes and images of Jesus Christ and Virgin Mary around Vigan City. DepEd Officials of the province usually join the mass and the procession. This event showcases the deep-rooted religiosity of the Ilocanos.It is the Ilocanos’ way of giving thanks to the Almighty not only for the bountiful blessings but also for the rich heritage of the province, including the close family ties among the Ilocanos.

Well, Kannawidan Festival is not all about this. I mean, this is a week-long festival that features a wide variety of events and programs from beauty pageants, music, culture, street partying, trade fair, street dancing and more! Basically, this day was all about the superlatives in the agricultural world, specifically the record setters in our province Ilocos Sur.

 

references:

https://www.edmaration.com/2016/02/bantay-kannawidan-festival-where.html?m=1 https://depedilocossur.info/?p=2011 https://www.studymode.com/essays/Kannawidan-The-Ilocos-Festivity-1381332.html

The Warmth of Christmas

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/fotograzio/49401160413

 

We celebrate Christmas at 25th of December to honor the birth of Jesus Christ. But due to the pandemic, it has become a little bit hard to celebrate Christmas due to the protocols we have to follow. But Vigan is very serious when it comes to these kinds of things. People decorates their house as soon as September comes, because September is the start of the so called 'ber months', where you start to feel the Christmassy feeling.

Of course Christmas isn't complete without the 'simbang gabi', where people attend masses at either 7 pm at night or 4 am in the morning. And also the Christmas caroling, where children go house-to-house to sing Christmas songs in exchange for some coins. The children have make-shift instruments, like a tambourine made from the bottle caps and such. And when it's near Christmas, you can hear Christmas songs wherever you go. May it be the grocery store, the department store and even in your neighborhood. People love music and Christmas.

Christmas really do bring people together. And the memories created in this occasion will be treasured forever. The memory of caroling, simbang gabi, the smiles of people and the love you receive from your friend and family. Viva Vigan and Merry Christmas!

                        https://www.bomboradyo.com/vigan/christmas-tree-idiay-sangwanan-ti-kapitolyo-nalukatanen/

Second Quarter of My ICT Lessons!

 

 

                                    https://www.ictcertified.com/ict-fundamentals/ict-fundamentals.php

 

Second Quarter is about to end now. That means we are now heading to start the third quarter, but before that, I wanted to share the lessons I learned, challenges I faced and discoveries I have gained. This quarter I learned more about HTML. HTML stands for Hypertext Markup Language, and we learned how to code and create a website. I learned about the different tags used in creating an HTML and the different attributes, I also learned how to create hyperlink. We are also still doing blogs, and I like it because it can help me in many ways. I had fun learning and discovering new things that expand my knowledge!

But it is not, however, always happy; there are bad days and problems too. I frequently run out of time and sometimes I am concerned about my time management skills. I'm also concerned about the blogs I can't start because starting one can be difficult, or you could say I'm suffering from writer's block. And sometimes I also laze around, and that gives me a feeling of uncertainty. I sometimes also cannot understand instructions, but I think that is because I wasn't that focused.

And in order to improve, I must confront these difficulties. If I'm worried about my time management, I'll occasionally avoid having to cram and stress about it, but I also keep track of my schedule. I also make sure that only few works aren't finished before I relaxed a little, so I won't have a lot to do.

Moving on, I will try to improve myself more and will also do my best like this quarter. And I hope to be more productive so that I won't cram much. And the lessons that I learned this quarter are very fun and exciting!

 

 

 

 

Viva Vigan!!

 

     https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2014/10/29/1385516/vigan-beckons

 Part and parcel of the Filipino culture are the festivals being celebrated in every town. One of the most popular ones is the Vigan Town Fiesta observed during January 25, in honor of St. Paul the Apostle. The Vigan Town Fiesta is commemorated in the northernmost part of the Philippines in Ilocos region. The festival gathers a lot of tourists who come to see the presentations they do for the show. Vigan Town Fiesta is composed of arts and crafts exhibit, carnivals, street dancing performances, and other vivacious performances that celebrate the spirit of Vigan’s cityhood. But due to the pandemic, festivals haven't been celebrated very well.

Fiesta is a time for Filipinos to celebrate. Festivals, on the other hand, have become less enjoyable and amusing during this pandemic. Furthermore, as a result of the pandemic, this year's festival was not as joyous and blissful as previous years. However, celebrating Vigan City's fiesta in the midst of the CoVid-19 pandemic only served to highlight how important and unique culture is to us, Filipinos. Despite the fact that the Festival's main events, such as parades and street dancing, as well as carnivals and food fairs, were reduced in size. And the majority of Biguenos celebrated with their families at home. This festival is allegedly one of the most important events hosted by the City of Vigan, and it is understandable that the authorities and organizers were simply concerned about the safety of the participants.

 Festivals are important to us, but we also need to understand that there is a pandemic going on. In order for us to feel the excitement and fun again, we have to defeat the virus first. In this kind of time, do not be sad, instead think positively and enjoy life. You can still celebrate festivals at home with your family, so be happy and think of ways to enjoy such celebrations.

 

Sources used:

https://primer.com.ph/tips-guides/2016/01/18/vigan-town-fiesta/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beginning of the End

                                               https://www.grammarly.com/blog/happy-new-year-2/

The New Year is celebrated around the world with great passion and enthusiasm. The end of the 31st December of the year at 12 o'clock midnight and the start of the next year's 1st January signify the start of a New Year. We often say the phrase "New Year, New Me!" for we consider the start of another year, a new chance to improve ourselves by having New Year’s resolutions. The celebration of the New Year reflects towards a new beginning and it teaches to move forward. Whatever we did in the old year, learned successful or unsuccessful, learning from last year to proceed with a new hope of coming year is the significance of this celebration. This way New Year’s celebration awakens new hope inside us.

 For me, 2021 has been a roller coaster of a year. Looking back, a lot of things happened this year— and it is a combination of good and bad. I got to explore new things, create fun and exciting memories and I also faced some of my fears. I learned a lot of lessons too. I learned to value myself more, and I learned that I am not alone. For this year, I just wished myself to be genuinely happy and healthy. I hope this will be a great year for me and my family.

 New Year is an important day for everyone. It brings new hope and happiness for us. It is an opportunity for us to learn from our previous mistakes and more forward in our life with an aim to not repeat those mistakes again. We should celebrate new year with full enthusiasm like any other festival. 

Sources used:

https://www.careerindia.com/amphtml/features/happy-new-year-essay-on-new-year-for-             students-031121.html

https://mbthought.com/essay/happy-new-year-celebration-essay/?amp=1

Pandemic Christmas

https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/christmas-tree-with-baubles-and-blurred-shiny-lights-gm1179032100-329777384

    

With a focus on the Covid virus, we are preoccupied with guidelines on how to celebrate Christmas this year– with only members of the family who are living in the same household, to continue wearing masks, observe social distancing, or to wash hands frequently. We are being discouraged from visiting one another for our mutual protection and safety. The usual Christmas glee and merriment that we have been accustomed to is not possible this year. Even though this holiday season will be different – and difficult for many – we can take comfort in the fact that the sacrifices we make now will protect us, our loved ones, and our communities. The goal is to make sure we are all here to celebrate in-person next year. It is very important that we keep up-to-date on the latest public health orders and recommendations – and follow them. We will have to be creative and think of ways to celebrate and enjoy the holiday season despite not being able to gather in-person.

But a global pandemic doesn't have to ruin the festive season completely. We can still celebrate Christmas this year in our own little ways. First, prioritize the traditions that matter most to you. "Think about what is the essence of the holiday for you, so you can try to preserve it," says happiness expert Gretchen Rubin, author of Happier at Home. "Even if you're not doing everything you used to, you can set up the holiday decorations, if that's really important, or make the special foods you love." Remember, it doesn't need to be extravagant or pricey. Yes, Christmas is the season of giving, but remember, presence over presents. You don't need to buy material things to make your Christmas celebration complete. I hope we know that more than material things, we can have fun when with our loved ones. If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it's to cherish the little things in life. Be it a glass of wine by the Christmas tree or unwrapping a gift from someone you love. With an uncertain future looming ahead, it's more important now than ever to be grateful for our day to day lives. This season should be a great time to be with each other's presence. Lastly, we should always remember the true meaning of Christmas. This pandemic should not be a hindrance for us to celebrate the birth of our savior Jesus Christ. This Christmas, remember the true meaning of the holiday and celebrate God's incredible act of love.

 Let us not forget the true meaning of Christmas just because of a pandemic. But always be careful so you won't catch the virus. Let us be thankful everyday and thank God for another year of spending our Christmas together with our love ones. Always remember, that the essence of celebrating Christmas season is not to have a house full of Christmas lights, having a tall and beautiful Christmas tree full of gifts underneath it and giving expensive gifts. Christmas basically means sharing what you have, not just the material things but also those that can only be felt like a warm, tight hug, a simple thank you, showing our appreciation to our loved ones and forgiveness among others.

 

Sources used:

https://su.edu.ph/reflections/celebrate-christmas-amidst-the-covid-19-pandemic/

https://www.fnha.ca/about/news-and-events/news/celebrating-christmas-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

https://radyonatin.com/story.php?storyid=41794